Improvement in water-wheels



about' lter @tutti da,

MAHLON Letters Patent No. 109,8191, dated December 6, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN WATER-WHEELS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of thesame.

MAHLON GREGG, of Rochester, in the county of' Monroe and State of NewYork, have invented certain Improvements in Tater-Wheels, of which theibllowing is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements upon my water-wheelpatented July 1 3, 1869, 'and-consists more especially. in a novel modeof operating the gate, the arrangementof an inclosed space between thewheel and fiume-bottom, and a removable and adjustable step and support.f

In the drawing- Figure 1 is a vertical central section of' my invention.v

Figure 2 is au inverted view, representing the bottom of the flumeremoved.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the upper bearing of the shaft. l

rihe chute-case A is made in the usual form of wheels of this class, andthe wheel B may be either a central or downward discharge, as desired,the latter form giving rather more power when usedv in con-` nectionwith the annular gate C.

This annular gate is connected by suitable arms to a hub, a., which isfitted to slide upon the shaft -S 0f the wheel. Y

The gate moves between the wheel and chute-case, and, by its verticaladjustment, controls the entrance ot' water to the wheel.

A groove is formed in the hub a, into which a loose sleeve, 11, isfitted, and the latter is provided with spurs s, fig. 4i, on oppositesides,^npon which the arms c are pivoted.

These arms may be formed in one piece with c', or they mL y be attachedto a common axle, which has a bearing upon the bridge-tree I).

A screw-rod, t, or similar device, raises or lowers the end of the leverc c',-and consequentlyr the sleeve I) and gate C. f

It will be observed, that, by means of the loose sleeve b, the gate isallowed to revolve with the wheel in the case oi' obstructions passingthrough it, or friction upon its periphery.

lhc chute case A is supported some distance. above the bottom L of thefiume, upon two or more posts, 19, to which the doors or partitions Fare bolted.

A water-tight chamber is thus formed around the lower parts ofthe wheel,the whole resting above and upon thc thune bottom, whereby access iseasily had for repairs or adjustment, by removing one of the doors ormanholes F, without the labor and cX- pense of raising the wheel out or"the flame..

'shaft above low'erg.

This chamber acts also as a draught-box, creating a suction through thewheel, thus occasioning no loss of the falL The step G, made in any ofthe ordinary forms, but preferably of metalhhaving a concave bearing forthe shaft S, is supported in an openingr in the bridge-tree D by aplate, H, which is attached tothe bridge-tree by twoor more bolts. v

The step is adjusted laterally in thc set-screws n, fig. 2.

It will thus be seen that the step-bearing may be wholly removed bymeans of the detachable support H, or adjusted vertically when worndown, and laterally when out of center.

The washers Z d', the former fast and the latter loose upon the shaft S,rest between a shoulder upon said shaft and the upper face of the stepG, and form an auxiliary bearing for the brmcr, and also prevent anydirection by the water, which generally holds sandand other im'-pli'i'ities in suspension, from reaching the concavity in the'stcp. y v

To lllblicate the step G, l, provide a. passage, c, through lthe shaftS, communicating at the upper end with the water inthe thune, or with asuitable oil-reservoir, and opening into the step at' thebottom.

This passage may be lled with pulver-ized charn coal, or some fibrousmaterial, which lshall filter or strain out the gritty matter in thewater before reaching the step. Y

rlhe upper bearing J of the .shalt consists of the usual blocks f, Iig.3, adjustable by setescrews, ar-

ranged in a circular recess 'or stutting-box, and the' spaces betweenthem packed with a suitable fibrous substance, which latter is alsowrapped around the the blocks and compressed by the folrlhe packing l1ymay be saturated with oil, and the blocks j' thus continuallylubricated.7 while the silicious matter in the water that enters thebearing is removed by liltration through the packing.

It is economical and convenient, in man y cases, to locate a water-wheeloutside of the fiume or penstock, as shown in the drawing.

To provide for such arrangement l surround the wheel with a case, T,which is bolted to and communicates with the flume l upon one side.

This case is considerably larger than the chute-caso A, to allow freeaccess ot' the water to all sides of the latter, and its upper sido issecured to such chutecase at any point between the chutes and thebearing J, wh'lc its lower edge is bolted to the flume-bottom or su)port L.

By this means the water is kept entirely away from 2. The annular gateC, operated from below the the bearing J. wheel in such a manner as topermit it to revolve Access may be had to the wheel through the penwiththe wheel, for the purposes set forth. stock R, or through a. manholeprovided i'n the case T Opposite a door, F. MAHLON GREG'G.

What I claim as my invention is 1. The compartment uelosed by thepartitions F, W'itnesses: between the chute case A and the Hume-bottom,F. H. CLEMENT, whereby ready access may be had to the lower parts GEO T.PARKER. of the wheel, for the purposes set forth.v

